Motoko Rich has a great article in the New York Times about the importance of librarians in the digital age. Visiting as many schools as I do, I meet a lot of librarians/media specialists across the country. I see what they're up against with schedule cuts and budget cuts and district officials who seem to think they are luxuries rather than necessities. But I also see how librarians rise to those challenges with dedication and good humor. In my book, they are heroes as much as any demigod. A good library is the heart of a good school. In the age of digital media, this is truer than ever.

On that same note, I've gotten a lot of emails from fans asking if information they've found on the Internet is true. There are numerous YouTube videos out there claiming to show the cast or scenes from the Percy Jackson movie. All of them are completely false. Anytime somebody labels a video: "True! No lie!" that's a pretty good sign they're making it up. Wikipedia also changes from time to time with people adding supposedly true information about the upcoming book or the movie. Again, all false.Don't believe everything you read on the Internet. It's a wonderful medium, but you have to be an intelligent consumer. That's why librarians are so important. They can direct you to good websites as easily as they direct you to good books. When in doubt, ask.